


Walk in the Rain

by Kalandan



Series: Because We Can [3]
Category: Pacific Rim (2013)
Genre: Anchorage Shatterdome, Gen, Jaeger Academy, Kodiak Island, Memories, Rain, Smells, sights, sounds
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-01
Updated: 2015-06-01
Packaged: 2018-04-02 07:21:53
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,351
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4051303
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kalandan/pseuds/Kalandan
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Mako looks for some time alone in a busy Jaeger Academy.  She then helps Ilisapie out with a missing person's case.  Maybe Mako will make some friends tonight instead of spending it alone listening to the rain.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Walk in the Rain

**Author's Note:**

> This fits into a grander plan of the story I am already writing, We Do What We Must Because We Can, but its totally jumping ahead for the benefit of this rain challenge.

**Early Summer 2021**

**Kodiak Island- Jaeger Academy**

 

The academy on Kodiak Island was built mostly of concrete, with some corrugated metal on steel frame buildings.  The cadet barracks and simulator labs were all housed in some of the heavily insulated concrete structures.  Which for the most part was great, it kept the outdoors out, and the insides were treated to keep noise and vibration to a minimum, especially in the labs.  The barracks were comfortable enough to sleep in, but there weren’t many windows or outdoor space for the cadets to use for the little amount of time they had for recreation.  

 

The mess hall was built as an addition to the barracks section, with a dog trot of a hallway connecting them.  Poorly insulated, but it was a solid roof overhead to keep most of the elements at bay. There was a pair of doors in the connecting hall that lead outside to a small patio area, set up with some picnic tables and benches.  It wasn’t often used by cadets, but the academy staff, and the local crew members frequented it for smoke breaks or on the occasional sunny day to soak up the few rays of sun.  Most often the doors to the patio were unlocked, and never alarmed.  The patio was in the space enclosed by the mess hall and barracks on one side and two testing facility houses on the other side.   All enclosed it was a tiny green area in a sea of industry and military living.

 

Spring weather came early for Alaska this year.  For that Mako was grateful, it made it far more bearable to wait.  She had checked the weather several times on her phone before the cadets were released early for the weekend break.  They were expected to stay on the island but weren’t scheduled for anything again until Monday morning. As she passed through the doors to the courtyard, golf umbrella in one hand, checking the weather forecast again with the other hand.  After confirming the forecast once more, she looked up at the sky, the sun already on its way down, but the light fading faster as the dark clouds rolled overhead.  

 

Mako surveyed the courtyard once more, no one else around, not that she expected anyone else would want to be out here now.  The air felt heavy, thick with the smell of the sea on the wind, and oxygen mixed together on the front of the storm.  She carefully picked her seat, one of the picnic tables, the farthest from the door, and its light that would ruin the effect she was searching for.  She faced away from the barracks, the testing facility buildings, plain enough not to draw her attention away from her thoughts.  

 

She sat down, put her phone away in one of her cargo pant pockets.  Opened the umbrella with a deft, practiced movement.  If anyone had seen it they might call it graceful, but Mako didn’t ever think that of herself. She zipped up the extra sweatshirt she was wearing, a light sweatshirt over her academy uniform.  She propped the umbrella handle on the table edge, holding it up with both hands in a delicate grip.  

 

Then she waited.  

 

She was rewarded for her patience.  The raindrops started to fall all around her.  Sparse at first, followed by more larger drops.  Soon the downpour was all around her.  A small smile playing at the edge of her lips.  The sound on the umbrella over her head better than a symphony.  She was transported back in time through the sound.  

 

She wasn’t a cadet in the Jaeger academy, she was a young girl living in Japan.  It was a rainy spring, she was with her family in their home.  The rain making a soothing pitter patter on the roof.  The sound reminding her of those happy times, before Kaiju, before Onibaba.  

 

Mako shook her head and found herself once again sitting in a darkened courtyard in Alaska.  But the rain kept falling, and soon she was again in another happy memory.  Her and Sensei visiting Tamsin in Hawaii.  The rain not as long there, but occurring frequently throughout the day.  When Tamsin was healthy they would sit under the canopy on the roof terrace of the hospital and watch the rain fall, listen to it on the awning over their heads.  

 

Mako smiled remembering that, Tamsin and Sensei smiling at her.  They would wait for the rain to stop then the sun would come out.  All three of them would look for the rainbow.  It was a game they played, to be the first to spot the rainbow.  Sometimes the building would block the view, making it hard to spot.  

 

Mako allowed herself to smile then, sitting in the dark by herself under an umbrella.  She continued to listen to the pitter patter hitting the umbrella.  The drip drop plunk as it ran over the sides of the umbrella, falling onto the tables around her.  She stayed there lost in thought reliving the moments over and over until the evening chill became too much for her to ignore.

 

Carefully she stood up from the table walked back to the doors.  The light over the door too bright after sitting in the dark to see beyond it.  Mako approached the door, closed the umbrella as swiftly as she opened it.  She opened the door swiftly stepping inside, and running into someone instantly.  

 

Falling back into the door frame to catch herself she dropped her umbrella, catching the other person with her free hand.  Looking up Mako recognized the person to be a Ranger.

 

“Sumimasen, Ranger Flint. I mean excuse me” Quickly recovering from the encounter.

 

“Oh! Miss Mori, I am so sorry,” Ilisapie leaned down and picked up the dropped item before Mako could do it herself. “I didn’t mean to run you over. Here, you dropped this.” Mako

takes the umbrella back, bowing in a gesture of gratitude. “Pardon my interruption, but was anyone else out there with you?”

 

Mako looks slightly confused.  Its so unlikely that she has to pause and think it over. “No, Ranger Flint, I was on my own.  I didn’t recall seeing anyone come or go during my time out there.”  

 

Ilisapie Huffs loudly, looking around the small connector like it will magically produce whatever she is looking for.

 

Mako quickly regains her composure, “May I help you find someone? Who are you looking for?”

 

Ilisapie is still looking around, deciding which way to search next perhaps.  “Huh? Oh that would be really helpful Miss Mori. I’m looking for Raleigh, I mean uh, Ranger Becket.  You haven’t seen him tonight have you?”

 

“He was in the Kwoon around lunch time for our usual lessons.  But I haven’t seen him since then, that was,” Mako quickly thinks it over, “almost eight hours ago.” Mako’s logic kicks into high gear as she stands there with Ranger Flint. “Where have you looked already, so I can help cross off all the usual places.”

 

“Oh, wow, that would be a great help. I’ve been to their quarters, the Kwoon and gym, as well as the assembly building.  I thought he might’ve been sitting in the rain again…” She trailed off, then looked the young cadet in the face, “You know some of his habits don’t you? Maybe you know better where he might be?”

 

Mako contemplates where he might go if she was Raleigh, “have you checked the mess hall, or the physical therapy gym?  Perhaps the drivesuit room or conn pod of Gipsy Danger?”

 

“I was going to check the mess hall next, and the kitchens, I’m sure he’s got some pals in the staff there.  I’ll try the gym after that, would you mind trying the conn pod and drivesuit rooms?  If you do find him let me know,” quickly Ilisapie pulled a pen out of her pocket, and pats down her own cargo pants. With an exasperated sigh she says “Here just give me your hand,” she gestures to give it over to the ranger.

 

Mako skeptically offers her hand out, Ilisapie grabs it with her left and before Mako can even protest the older pilot has scrawled a phone number on the cadets palm.  “That is my number, if you find him before I do call me.  Oh and thank you Miss Mori.”

 

“No problem Ranger Flint, but can I ask why are you looking for him?”  

 

“Oh call me Ilisapie, we’re not in class right now, so drop the formalities.  He has been MIA since the afternoon, and we just need to find him.”  She looks around again, in a whispered voice “between you and me, its for his own good that we find him and get him back to his quarters.”  

 

“Uh okay,” the cadet looks down at the number scrawled on her palm, pulls her phone out with the other hand, and types the number into her contacts. She hits send on the number, waits a moment, then says “That is my number in case you find him first, let me know too.” Mako smiles at Ilisapie then.

 

Ilisapie pulls a phone from her shirt pocket, looks it over quick, clicks a couple of things, “Okay thanks, I’ve saved you into my contacts. Thank you for your help Miss Mori, you’re a god send.”

 

“Mako.” Is all the young japanese woman replies.  Ilisapie looks at her quizzically for a moment, “You can call me Mako, if we are phone contacts.” She waggles her phone at the ranger, as her face lights up. “Consider it no problem for the gods to get involved with,” Mako smirks at the Ranger, and winks at her.

 

Ilisapie laughs, not a full belly laugh but not a little giggle, a full laugh before composing herself somewhat, “Okay Mako.  Well either way you’re a great help.  Now lets get to work.” Ilisapie gives Mako a quick squeeze of  the arm, a wink and is off towards the mess hall in a flash.  

 

Mako runs off in the opposite direction, umbrella still in hand.  She hits the places she mentioned, then covered LOCCENT, the cadet barracks, the K-science labs, and all the jaeger bays, occupied and empty.  She was about to text Ilisapie when she got a random idea.  She headed back towards the mess hall patio/ courtyard, grabbing a flashlight on the way.  

 

Umbrella opens smoothly as she steps out again into the rain.  It is still coming down at a good pace, big drops making plenty of noise on the plastic of the umbrella.  She listens beyond the umbrella, but its too loud.  So she looks around the patio and picnic table areas, with the flashlight to illuminate her way.  No luck, she finally has another idea.  She closes the umbrella and listens again.  The rain is cool, a bit of a shock to her face at first, but once her hair is wet it clings to her face.  She closes her eyes for a moment to focus her other senses.  She hears the rain hitting the tables, the buildings, the pavement, the grass.  She hears something else.

She turns to focus on the sound, then opens her eyes, walks to the far edge of the patio, opposite where she was earlier, but still out of the light from the door.  The sound of a low whimper, draws her to the table.  There is no one sitting at it, but she still hears the whimper, using the flashlight she looks under the table.

 

In the grass laying on his back with his dog, is Ranger Becket, eyes closed slowly petting the dog that is laying next to his hip. He is wet from the rain coming through the slats in the table.  Mako shines her light on his face, he turns his face towards the light without opening his eyes.

 

“Yes?” Mako almost jumps back at being addressed.

 

“Oh, um, excuse me Ranger Becket, but you’re being looked for…”

“Who?”

“Excuse me?”

“Who is looking for me?”

“Oh, um, Ranger Flint was looking for you.”

“Come on Clair, lets not worry our friends any more.” At that Raleigh rolls out from under the table, the dog with him each step.  He dusts himself off, which is mute from all the rain coming down.  Eyes still closed, he says “Can you stop shining that light in my face?”

“Oh, I’m sorry.” Mako quickly points the light down at the ground.  “should I message her, Sir?”

“Sir? Who do I look like, the Marshall?! Raleigh will do, and since I left my phone in my room, yeah, let her know I’m headed back to my quarters.  Time to shower up.  Thanks for the message, Miss Mori?”

“Yes, sir, I mean Mr. Becket, Uh, Ranger Raleigh.” She so flustered at this point that she bows to him.  

“Oh stop that, come on Cadet Mori, lets get out of the rain. Although I have to say the umbrella was soothing. I’ll have to try that next time. Come on Clair” With that, he waves to her and walks to the doors.  She is staring at him, his demeanour so casual unlike during lessons.  Its so drastic a difference she doesn’t know what to do.

Raleigh is standing at the door, holding it open. “You coming Miss Mori?”  She snaps out of a daze and runs over to catch up.  

“Sumimasen.”

“Daijoubo” Mako is slightly surprised, but then reminds herself that he is a ranger that may have spent time abroad, and Japan is within the PPDC's realm of influence. “Clair," the dog already at his hip "we’ve worried Yance too, I’m sure.  Thanks again, Miss Mori, see you for lessons next week.”

 

He walks down the hall without any more fanfair.  Mako stands there for another moment, dripping wet wondering how her night turned into this.  Before she forgets she pulls out her phone, and texts Ilisapie.  

\--Found Raleigh, going to quarters--

Response ==OMG! Thank you Mako!==

==I owe you big time!==

 

\--No problem, good night--

==Good night Mako==

==I’ll repay the help==

  
\--good night--


End file.
